Agenda and minutes

The General Counsel (Interim) reported apologies from Mr Bowles, Mr Carter,

Mrs Dean, Mr Harman, Mr Hoare, Mrs Howes, Mr Neaves, Mr Ozog, Mr Truelove, Mrs Waters and Mrs Whittle.

(1)          Mrs Marsh declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in relation to item 7 (Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report April 2015) - March 2016) and item 11 (Motion on the British Deaf Association's Charter of British Sign Language).

(2)          Mr Koowaree declared a Personal Interest as he had a grandson in Care.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2016 be approved as a correct record, subject to the addition of Mr Parry in the list of Members who gave apologies.

(a)          Petition – Bredgar

(1)          The Chairman invited Mr Baldock to present a petition regarding speeding through Bredgar Village.

(2)     The Chairman then invited Mr Balfour, the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, to collect the petition and to respond to it in accordance with the Petition Scheme.

(b)          Prince Michael Road Safety award

(3)          The Chairman stated that he was delighted to inform Members that the County Council had been awarded the most prestigious award  for Road Safety, the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award, and he invited Mr Pearman to give a brief account of the nature of this achievement.

(c)          Communications campaign award

(4)          The Chairman stated that he was pleased to inform Members that KCC's Public Health campaign - 'Release the Pressure' had won the Silver award in the Best Public Sector Campaign category at the South of England Chartered Institute of Public Relations awards.  This was a highly successful media, marketing and public relations campaign which had received huge press coverage. Since it launched in March, there had been a 56 % rise in the number of male callers to the Mental Health Matters helpline which KCC commissioned. He congratulated the Kent Communications team and Tim Woodhouse, Wayne Gough and Sarah Lovell from Public Health.

(d)          Office Visits

(5)          The Chairman informed Members that over the last few weeks he had been visiting frontline offices across the county, these visits had include the Kent Film Office, Highways Management Centre at Ashford, Kent Resilience Team at Kent Fire & Rescue Authority HQ and Shorne Woods Country Park.  He stated that he had thoroughly enjoyed these visits.  He encourage as many Members as possible to take the time to visit the different teams working across the County to see the fantastic services and frontline support being delivered.

(e)          Royal Mail’s Delivery Office visit

(6)          The Chairman announced that he had recently visited Royal Mail’s Delivery Office in Maidstone to pass on Christmas wishes and encouragement during their busiest time of the year.  He was shown around the office by Delivery Office Manager, James Barnden and it was great to meet so many of the post office staff who went out in all weathers, and to see first-hand just how much effort they put into delivering for the people and businesses of Kent during the run-up to Christmas.

(f)           Collection for Homeless Care (Maidstone Day Centre)

(7)          The Chairman referred to the Liberal Democrat Groups collection being held that morning, for Homeless Care which ran the Maidstone Day Centre.

(g)          Carols

(8)          The Chairman invited all Members to join him for a seasonal buffet lunch and carols with the school choir from Brunswick House Primary School in the Atrium of Invicta House at 1.00 p.m. and hoped that Members would be able to join him in thanking Officers for their hard work and dedication and to wish them a very Merry Christmas.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 1.17(4), 11 questions were asked and replies given.  A record of all questions put and answers given at the meeting are available online with the papers for this meeting.  

(1)          Mr Simmonds, the Deputy Leader, on behalf of the Leader updated the Council on events since the previous meeting.

(2)          Mr Simmonds mentioned that the annual settlement was awaited from the Government.  He also referred to the Autumn Budget Statement from the Chancellor and stated that it was significant that what was missing from this was any mention of help for Adult Social Care and in particular with meeting the pressures Local Authorities were facing in providing care for the elderly. He emphasised that KCC were lobbying hard and that he had recently spoken with the Kent MP’s regarding the scope of the problem in meeting the demands of adult social care.  He had stressed how inextricably this was linked to the problems in the Health Service relating to bed occupancy and ensuring there was a support infrastructure for those in hospital and needing continuing care. It was important to get the relationship with the NHS right in order to care for the ever increasing number of elderly and those with disabilities.  KCC’s approach to this was fully supported by the Local Government Association.

(3)          Mr Simmonds stated that Sajid Javid MP (Minister for Communities and Local Government) and Chris Grayling MP had been lobbied hard when they attended the County Council’s Network (CCN) Conference.  He confirmed that CCN which the Leader Chaired had fully endorsed the request to Government to look again at providing this essential support.

(4)          Mr Simmonds referred to the very real budgetary problems that many Local Authorities had experienced which had been triggered by the need to prop up their adult social service budget. One of the options that had been mentioned was that Government might allow an additional Council Tax precept.  He confirmed that an additional 1% Council Tax precept for Kent would produce roughly £5.6m which would obviously help but would not meet entirely the pressures KCC were facing.  The CCN had made it clear to Government that although this 1% would only be an additional £10 per annum for a band C taxpayer, which did not sound unreasonable, it would be in addition to the 1.9% council tax rise which KCC would be seeking and the 2% social care levy.

(5)           Mr Simmonds mentioned the huge difference in care available between east and west Kent.  In West Kent even for self-funders paying a premium rate, care could not always be found and as the aging population increased the situation would get worse.  Despite active recruitment there were simply not enough carers to meet demand despite premium payments in the wealthier districts.  He hoped that the financial strain would begin to ease when the monies from the new Better Care Fund appeared in 2018/19 but there could still be additional obligations placed on local authorities by Government, as there was a tendency for additional money to come with conditions.  

(6)          Mr Simmonds made reference to the change over to the business rate and Government were being lobbied strongly to ensure the balancing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

(1)          Mr Gibbens moved and Mrs Cole seconded the following motion:

“County Council is asked to COMMENT on the progress and improvements made during 2015-16, as detailed in the Annual Report from the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board and ENDORSE the 2015-16 Annual Report attached.  Following this meeting, this document will be available for download on the KCC website.”

(2)          Ms Stuart-Angus, the Independent Chair of the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board, addressed the meeting and answered questions from Members.

(3)          The motion was agreed without a formal vote.

(4)          RESOLVED that the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2015-16 be endorsed and the comments made by Members on the progress and improvements made during 2015-16 be noted.

(1)          Mr Gough moved and Mr Gibbens seconded the following motion:

“That the County Council is asked to agree that the Kent Health and Wellbeing Board has fulfilled its responsibilities under its Terms of Reference.”

(2)          Following debate the motion was agreed by a show of hands.

(3)          RESOLVED that the Kent Health and Wellbeing Board has fulfilled its responsibilities under its Terms of Reference.

(1)          Mr Gibbens moved and Mr Smith seconded the following motion:

“County Council is asked to ENDORSE Your Life, Your Well-Being - A Vision and Strategy for Adult Social Care 2016 -2021”

(2)          Following debate the motion was agreed without a formal vote. 

(3)          RESOLVED that ‘Your Life, Your Well-Being’ - A vision and Strategy for Adult Social Care 2016 -2021be endorsed.

(1)          Mr Simmonds moved and Mrs Crabtree seconded the following motion:

 “County Council is asked to:

NOTE the changes in the external auditor appointment process following the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014.

NOTE the options available to the Council for the appointment of an external auditor for the 2018/19 accounts and beyond.

RESOLVE that the Council opts-in to a sector led body (PSAA Ltd) to appoint external auditors for five financial years commencing 1^st April 2018.”

(2)          The motion was agreed without a formal vote:

(3)          RESOLVED that :

(a)  the changes in the external auditor appointment process following the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 be noted.

(b)  the options available to the Council for the appointment of an external auditor for the 2018/19 accounts and beyond be noted

(c)  the County Council opt-in to a sector led body (PSAA Ltd) to appoint external auditors for five financial years commencing 1^st April 2018.

British Deaf Association’s Charter of British Sign Language

To be proposed by Mr Burgess and seconded by Mr Baldock

“This Council fully supports the aspirations behind the British Deaf Association's Charter of British Sign Language (BSL), and agrees to sign up to the Charter and to implement their five pledges to improve access and rights for Deaf BSL users. Further, we request the appropriate Cabinet Members to submit a report to County Council in 12 months’ time on progress made with implementing the pledges. 

1.            Ensure access for Deaf people to information and services

Pledge: Deaf people will get the same quality of provision, information and standards and the same right to be consulted as everyone else.

2.         Promote learning and high quality teaching of British Sign Language (BSL)

Pledge: Family members, guardians and carers of deaf children and Deaf young people and local authority/public service employees will have access to BSL lessons from suitably qualified teachers.

3.            Support Deaf children and families

Pledge: At the point of diagnosis of deafness, health and education providers will offer parents genuinely informed choices, including a bilingual/bicultural approach.

4.            Ensure staff working with Deaf people can communicate effectively in BSL

Pledge: Customer-facing staff will have basic BSL skills. Specialist staff will have higher-level BSL skills so they can deliver good services to Deaf people without needing interpreters.

5.            Consult with the local Deaf community on a regular basis

Pledge: Deaf people should have the right to be consulted on services or changes to services that affect them and to have input into consultations alongside other forums and user groups.”

(1)          Mr Burgess moved and Mr Baldock seconded the following motion:

“This Council fully supports the aspirations behind the British Deaf Association's Charter of British Sign Language (BSL), and agrees to sign up to the Charter and to implement their five pledges to improve access and rights for Deaf BSL users. Further, we request the appropriate Cabinet Members to submit a report to County Council in 12 months’ time on progress made with implementing the pledges. 

1.                  Ensure access for Deaf people to information and services
Pledge: Deaf people will get the same quality of provision, information and standards and the same right to be consulted as everyone else.

2.                  Promote learning and high quality teaching of British Sign Language(BSL)
Pledge: Family members, guardians and carers of deaf children and Deaf young people and local authority/public service employees will have access to BSL lessons from suitably qualified teachers.

3.                  Support Deaf children and families

Pledge: At the point of diagnosis of deafness, health and education providers will offer parents genuinely informed choices, including a bilingual/bicultural approach.

4.                  Ensure staff working with Deaf people can communicate effectively in BSL

Pledge: Customer-facing staff will have basic BSL skills. Specialist staff will have higher-level BSL skills so they can deliver good services to Deaf people without needing interpreters.

5.           Consult with the local Deaf community on a regular basis

Pledge: Deaf people should have the right to be consulted on services or changes to services that affect them and to have input into consultations alongside other forums and user groups.”

(2)          Mr Gibbens proposed and Mr Oakford seconded the following amendment:

“This Council fully supports the aspirations behind the British Deaf Association's Charter of British Sign Language (BSL), and agrees to sign investigate the implications of both signing up to the Charter and to of implementing their five pledges to improve access and rights for Deaf BSL users. Further, we request the appropriate Cabinet Members to submit a report to the County Council Adults Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee within 12 months’ time on progress made with implementing the pledges.”

(3)          The amendment set out in paragraph (2) and the resultant substantive motion were agreed without formal votes.

(4)          RESOLVED that this Council fully supports the aspirations behind the British Deaf Association's Charter of British Sign Language (BSL), and agrees to investigate the implications of both signing up to the Charter and to of implementing their five pledges to improve access and rights for Deaf BSL users. Further, the appropriate Cabinet Members is requested to submit a report to the Adults Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee within 12 months’ on progress made with implementing the pledges.